More Information

The plan for the area’s development during the next 40 years was
submitted by the Tysons Corner Land Use Task Force. The group was asked
to update the area’s land use plan because four new Metrorail stations
are expected to be built in Tysons. The recommendations are available
at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/tysons.

Proposed Districts Map

Proposed Intensity Map

Land Use Map

Parks Map

The proposal calls for Tysons to be a place where people live, work and
play — not a place where people only come to work or shop. It sees the
area as home for almost 100,000 residents and 200,000 jobs by 2050.
Because the plan was designed to take advantage of the new Metro
stations, future growth will be focused within an eighth of a mile from
the stations. Overall, 95 percent of new housing, retail and offices
will be a three-minute walk from transit, including buses that will go to
and from the stations.

Future development is closely tied to benefits for the community,
including:

Environment Sustainability: New buildings must meet green
construction standards; all buildings must be LEED Silver certified by
2013. Green buildings will help the county reach its goal of cutting
carbon emission by 80 percent because they use 25-30 percent less
energy. The plan also calls for stormwater to be contained on site or
recycled. Currently, 70 percent of stormwater runs untreated into local
streams, harming Old Courthouse Spring Branch, Rocky Run, Scotts Run
and Pimmit Run.

Affordable Housing: The plan requires that 20 percent of new
residences be set aside as work force or affordable housing. This
requirement goes beyond the county’s current policy of 12 percent.
This housing will be made available to residents making from 60 to 120
percent of the area median income.

Parks and Open Space: The plan calls for 160 additional acres
of parks —double the acreage today. New parks and open space will
include a 3.5-acre, central park that could be used for farmers
markets, concerts or fairs.

The plan is built on an approach called transit-oriented development
or TOD.By building homes, stores and offices near transit, car
trips can be dramatically reduced. This finding is proven by recent
research by the Federal Transit Administration. Its study shows that
people living in Washington area TODs cut their car trips by almost 50
percent.

As currently built, Tysons caters to cars not people. Today, 105,000
people commute into Tysons daily while just 17,000 people live there. As
a result, there are 167,000 parking spaces in Tysons — or 1.3 spaces for
every employee and resident. These spaces also consume 40 million square
feet of land.

To change this development pattern, the plan calls for a locally
circulating bus system. These “circulators” will take people from Metro
stations to homes, stores and offices, thereby reducing car trips. A grid
of streets accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists are also recommended.

The Tysons Corner Land Use Task Force created its plan based on
extensive input from the public. The group conducted 45 public
meetings and workshops that were attended by more than 2,000 people.
Public feedback was directly responsible for shaping the task force’s
recommendations.

The Board of Supervisors established the task force in May 2005. The
36-member group included representatives from community groups,
nonprofits, businesses, organizations for the environment, arts, housing
and bicycling.

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